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Sato T, Tsujinoue H, Arai N, Takahashi KZ. Coarse-grained molecular simulation of the effect of liquid crystal molecular pitch on structure in cylindrical confinement. Phys Rev E 2024; 110:014701. [PMID: 39161020 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.110.014701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Blue phases (BPs) consist of three-dimensional self-assembled structures formed by a double-twisted columnar arrangement of liquid crystal molecules. Although their unique optical and structural properties render BPs particularly useful for applications such as liquid crystal displays, BPs typically appear in a narrow temperature range between the isotropic and nematic phases. This thermodynamic instability impedes their practical applicability. However, the simulations we present here showed that, in a quasi-one-dimensional system confined to nanospace, a phase equivalent to the BP appears and persists between the nematic and smectic phases. Confinement to a nanotube (NT) with a relatively small radius enables the BP to be maintained over a wide temperature range, whereas for an NT with a relatively larger radius, the BP appears only in a very narrow temperature range between the aforementioned phases. We additionally showed that the pitch of the BP is dependent on and can be controlled by adjusting the radius of the NTs. This finding has significant implications for the potential application of these materials in fields such as photonics and chiral separation technologies.
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Hendrikse RL, Bayly AE, Jimack PK. Studying the Structure of Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Solutions Using Dissipative Particle Dynamics. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:8058-8071. [PMID: 36179249 PMCID: PMC9574933 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
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Sodium lauryl ether
sulfate (SLES) is a common anionic surfactant
used in a large number of personal care products. Commercial products
typically contain a distribution in the number of ethoxy groups; despite
this, there is limited existing work studying the effect of the ethoxy
groups on the phase formation and structure. This is particularly
important for the effect the structure has on the viscosity, an important
consideration for commercial products. Dissipative particle dynamics
is used to simulate the full phase diagram of SLES in water, including
both micellar and lyotropic liquid crystal phases. Phase transitions
occur at locations which are in good agreement with experimental data,
and we find that these boundaries can shift as a result of varying
the number of ethoxy groups. Varying the ethoxy groups has a significant
effect on the micellar shape and crystalline spacing, with a reduction
leading to more nonspherical micelles and decreased periodic spacing
of the hexagonal and lamellar phases. Finally, while typical commercial
products contain a distribution of ethoxy groups, computational work
tends to focus on simulations containing a single chain length. We
show that it is valid to use monodisperse simulations to infer behavior
about solutions with a polydisperse chain length, based on its mean
molecular length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Hendrikse
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.,EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Fluid Dynamics at Leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew E Bayly
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Peter K Jimack
- School of Computing, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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3
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Wu F, Lin J, Wang L, Lin S. Polymer Vesicles in a Nanochannel under Flow Fields: A DPD Simulation Study. MACROMOL THEOR SIMUL 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/mats.202200027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fangsheng Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry School of Materials Science and Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry School of Materials Science and Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Liquan Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry School of Materials Science and Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
| | - Shaoliang Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry School of Materials Science and Engineering East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 China
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4
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Chava BS, Thorn EK, Das S. Atomistic explorations of mechanisms dictating the shear thinning behavior and 3D printability of graphene flake infused epoxy inks. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:24634-24645. [PMID: 34719699 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02321g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nanofiller-based epoxy inks have found extensive use in fabricating 3D printed nanocomposites for applications in aerospace, automobile, and marine systems. In this paper, we employ an all-atom molecular dynamic (MD) simulation to atomistically explore the mechanisms dictating the shear-thinning behavior of the graphene flake-infused (GFI) epoxy inks. We compare our findings with those for pure epoxy inks: non-equilibrium MD (NEMD) simulations reveal that both the GFI epoxy ink and pure epoxy ink demonstrate shear thinning behavior, i.e., their viscosities decrease with an increase in the shear rate. However, interestingly, the viscosity of the GFI epoxy ink is larger than that of pure epoxy for smaller shear rates, while for higher shear rates, the viscosities of these two materials are similar. This indicates a much more favorable viscosity profile for the GFI epoxy inks in the context of 3D printing. From the context of exploring the nanoscale mechanism, we identify the tendency of the bisphenol F molecules (the key constituent of the epoxy inks) and the graphene flakes (for the case of GFI epoxy inks) to align along the shear planes (in the presence of a shear flow) allowing the dissipation of viscous force among them ensuring shear-thinning behavior for both pure epoxy and GFI epoxy inks. In this context, we also identify that the bisphenol F chains prefer to localize along a given shear plane to reduce the effect of tension forces: such an alignment ensures that the radius of gyration for the bisphenol F molecules (for both pure epoxy and GFI epoxy inks) is larger for the case of finite shear and has a non-monotonic variation with the shear rate. Finally, the equilibrium MD (EMD) simulations establish that the presence of the graphene flakes significantly slows down the rotational dynamics of the bisphenol F molecules that are adsorbed to these graphene flakes and, as a result, causes the zero-shear viscosity of the GFI epoxy to be three orders of magnitude larger than that of the pure epoxy. This difference provides a qualitative justification of the viscosity of the GFI epoxy being larger than that of pure epoxy at smaller shear rate values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhargav Sai Chava
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Eva K Thorn
- Air Systems Group, NAWCAD, Air Vehicle Engineering Department, 48086 Shaw Road, Building 2188, Patuxent River, MD 20670, USA
| | - Siddhartha Das
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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5
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Hong W, Lin J, Tian X, Wang L. Linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of self-associative hydrogen-bonded polymers. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Robertson M, Zhou Q, Ye C, Qiang Z. Developing Anisotropy in Self-Assembled Block Copolymers: Methods, Properties, and Applications. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100300. [PMID: 34272778 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers (BCPs) self-assembly has continually attracted interest as a means to provide bottom-up control over nanostructures. While various methods have been demonstrated for efficiently ordering BCP nanodomains, most of them do not generically afford control of nanostructural orientation. For many applications of BCPs, such as energy storage, microelectronics, and separation membranes, alignment of nanodomains is a key requirement for enabling their practical use or enhancing materials performance. This review focuses on summarizing research progress on the development of anisotropy in BCP systems, covering a variety of topics from established aligning techniques, resultant material properties, and the associated applications. Specifically, the significance of aligning nanostructures and the anisotropic properties of BCPs is discussed and highlighted by demonstrating a few promising applications. Finally, the challenges and outlook are presented to further implement aligned BCPs into practical nanotechnological applications, where exciting opportunities exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Robertson
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Qingya Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Changhuai Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Zhe Qiang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
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Ma B, Wang X, He Y, Dong Z, Zhang X, Chen X, Liu T. Effect of poly(lactic acid) crystallization on its mechanical and heat resistance performances. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2020.123280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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8
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Hong W, Lin J, Tian X, Wang L. Distinct Viscoelasticity of Hierarchical Nanostructures Self-Assembled from Multiblock Copolymers. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiaohui Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Liquan Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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Hong W, Lin J, Tian X, Wang L. Viscoelasticity of Nanosheet-Filled Polymer Composites: Three Regimes in the Enhancement of Moduli. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:6437-6447. [PMID: 32609516 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c04235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We employed nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the viscoelastic properties of nanosheet (NS)-filled polymer composites. The effects of NS loadings and NS-polymer interaction on viscoelasticity were examined. The simulation results show that the NS-filled polymer composites exhibit an enhanced storage modulus and loss modulus as the NSs are loaded. There are three regimes of the enhanced process based on the NS loadings. At lower NS loadings, the motion of polymers slows down owing to the interaction between NSs and polymers, and the polymer chains generally follow the Rouse dynamics. As the NS loadings increase, the polymer chains are confined between NSs, leading to a substantial increment in dynamic moduli. At higher NS loadings, a transient network is formed, which strengthens the dynamic moduli further. In addition, the attractive NS-polymer interaction can improve the dispersion of NSs and increase the storage and loss moduli. The present work could provide essential information for designing high-performance hybrid polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiaohui Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Liquan Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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10
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Enhanced PET processing with organophosphorus additive: Flame retardant products with added-value for recycling. Polym Degrad Stab 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2018.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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11
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Xu P, Lin J, Zhang L. Supramolecular multicompartment gels formed by ABC graft copolymers: high toughness and recovery properties. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:15995-16004. [PMID: 29850677 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp02062k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We conceptually design multicompartment gels with supramolecular characteristics by taking advantage of amphiphilic ABC graft copolymers. The ABC graft copolymers contain a solvophilic A backbone and solvophobic B and C grafts, where the C grafts interact with each other via hydrogen bonds. The mechanical properties of supramolecular multicompartment gels under uniaxial tension are studied by coupling dissipative particle dynamics simulations with the nonequilibrium deformation technique. The results show that the supramolecular multicompartment gels exhibit high toughness and recovery properties, while their stiffness is maintained. Due to the physical origin, the superior mechanical properties of supramolecular gels have a tight relation with the structural relaxation of grafts and the association-disassociation dynamics of hydrogen bonds. In addition, the toughness of the multicompartment gels can be further tuned by adjusting the strength and directivity of the hydrogen bonds. The present work unveils the physical origin of the distinct mechanical properties of supramolecular gels, which may provide useful guidance for designing functional gels with superior toughness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxiang Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
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Wang J, Li J, Yao Q, Sun X, Yan Y, Zhang J. One-pot production of porous assemblies by PISA of star architecture copolymers: a simulation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:10069-10076. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp00480c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Porous vesicles can be produced in one-pot by the PISA of star architecture copolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Wang
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Li
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Yao
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Sun
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Youguo Yan
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- College of Science
- China University of Petroleum (East China)
- Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
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